Ziegfeld Theatre
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
141 W. 54th Street,
New York,
NY
10019
131 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1,951 - 1,975 of 4,511 comments
Rory:
Here’s the story. This is the third Classics series run at the Ziegfeld. The first two were in the winter and fall of 2006. During the first, after attending a few screenings (Ben-Hur and West Side Story), I think, cards were handed out with patrons asked to suggest a few titles. I think I listed ten, most importantly, Close Encounters, my favorite film. When the first series was extended a few more weeks and Close Encounters was indeed chosen I asked the management if I could introduce the film one evening.
I continued with the second series, and with this series, I hope to be introducing every Saturday night. Last week, Sound of Music, This week Jaws, and yes, the following Sat night, APES.
I think that I’ve been going to the Ziegfeld since 1972 (Cabaret?).
Doing these intros is a dream come true. I’m having a ball, the staff is super, and I meet really nice people at the screenings and especially here.
So it’s kind of like Hannah Montana-working stiff during the day and Ziegfeld Man Saturday nights. maybe I saw Saturday Night Fever too many times.
Have a good trip, you won’t be disappointed.
Craig O' Connor from Clearview puts together the Classics series, and as you see above, he said:
Just wanted to let everyone know that the print of PLANET OF THE APES is brand new! We will be the very first theatre to run it! So, it will look and sound amazing!
Ziegfeld Man:
I was going to say I thought the theatre was in Syosset, so you may be right. All I can remember was that the theatre was big, round, and my siblings and I, with my mother, sat at the front of the balcony and really enjoyed the movie. I remember that when the “Erie Canal” song was played, my siblings and I sang the words and our mother was surprised we knew them — but they taught you that in school back in those days! Anyway, the best way to check these things (where films played in the NYC area) is if the local library has The New York Times on microfilm (all of which should be on the web) but even then it takes some hunting.
By the way, Ziegfeld Man, what is your connection to the Ziegfeld? Will you be saying anything about APES, probably on the first night of the showings? — which I wish I could be there for!
I also just ead today at www.thedigitalbits.com that Fox has “Planet of the Apes” in the works for a possible late 2008 release on Blu-ray. I wonder if this new print that will be shown at the Ziegfeld will reflect true restoration efforts?
Rory:
You may be talking about the Cinema 150-the absolutely best venue that ever existed on LI (excluding some movie palaces in the boroughs-that’s LI also) Anyway it was in Syosset and unfortunately gone. Read about it here and weep.
/theaters/3510/
I believe that Vito, one of our Cinema Treasures regulars was a projectionist there. He would know!!
I just moved to North Carolina from Ft. Lauderdale, Fl (originally from New York — state that is), however I still have stuff in storage in Ft. Lauderdale, so on March 28th I drive down to there. I’ll be flying round trip from Ft. Lauderdale to Newark (I have a friend that lives in Saddle Brook and he’ll be taking me into the city. By the way, this friend is one of the co-authors of “Planet of the Apes Revisited” (see Amazon.com), has a huge “Apes” collection and I’ve know him since we were pen-pals (remember those pre-email days?)through an ad he placed in the mid-seventies in ‘Famous Monsters of Filmland’ looking for someone to talk “Apes” with. Anyway, then I fly back to Florida and get my stuff out of storage and drive a U-Hual back to N.C.
(I’m sure this is all very interesting to everyone reading this!)
Also, I don’t mind that the Ziegfeld is only showing PLANET, since I don’t think the sequels are that good, but my friend was hoping to see at least a “Planet”/“Beneath” double feature (But I’m glad I’ll not be!)
I heard about HTWWW thing. Saw that in, I think, a 1969 or ‘70 reissue on Long Island someplace. I remember the theatre was big, we sat in the balcony, so if the theatre is still there, I’m sure it’s long multiplexed!
Wow – I might have to go out there again. Must start saving now …
Bill:
Speaking of HTWWW, rumor has it that with the impending Warners DVD restoration due out in August, one of the Cinerama venues ( Cinerama Dome in LA, Seattle Cinerama, or Bradford, England) will definitely revive the film. I am living for this!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rory-Welcome to New York
Rory: how far are you traveling to get to New York? I flew to LA from New Jersey to see “How the West Was Won”, “It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World” and “2001”, and it’s good to know I’m not the only extreme movie fan out there who does this kind of thing :)
Well, my reservations have been made, but I won’t be about to get to the Ziegfeld until Monday, March 31st. Not having seen my favorite movie, PLANET OF THE APES, theatrically since the 1974 “Go Ape” reissue, and unfortunately in a small-screen, six-theatre multiplex and with a tattered print of PLANET that probably dated back to 1968, this 40th anniversary screening at the Ziegfeld is incredible. I literally don’t care what I’m spending to see it (and they better take tending loving care of that brand new print!). I really feel this could be the last hurrah. Someone said to me about this, “Why don’t you wait until the 50th anniversary?” but the way things are going, will there even be theatres in another ten years, let alone ones as big as the Ziegfeld?
To Ziegfeld Man: Once I can get the current owners to pony up some greenbacks, we will work on those classics for you, and you’ll have a choice of 1 of the 2770 seats. Hang in there.
To Bill Huelbig: Thank God the Fishers never allowed this place to be twinned!!! Could you imagine…
Al said:
“Cineplex Odeon blamed the Fishers for not letting them twin it”
THANK YOU, FISHERS !!!!!!
Is this the same Fisher family as Avery Fisher, as in Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center?
Hi movie534:
I took a look at The Ritz page and the picture of the interior.I am totally blown away, what a gorgeous place. Tell me more about bringing the Classics there. I would go.
Thanks
So Walter Reade blamed the union overhead for their inability to keep it open all year round. Cineplex Odeon blamed the Fishers for not letting them twin it and now we blame Clearview for operating it lean and mean to try and make it work.
movie534…I am totally in your corner. The Dolans are miserable people who appear to make money in spite of their overall incompetence. I can' wait for the city to take away MSG’s tax break which they’ve been enjoying for over 20 years.
Having said that, I do appreciate their renovation of Radio City and their recent commitment to renovate The Beacon Theater (which they also now operate on a lease agreement). But, they didn’t do it out of the goodness of their heart to help New York in its time of theater need. They did it for money. There is nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, that’s great! It saved Radio City, and for The Beacon, it is sprucing up a faded palace, but for Cablevision it all comes down to dollars and cents. Once again, thank goodness, Cablevision doesn’t own The Ziegfeld or the land!
Well at least LuisV sort of understands where I’m coming from. As HowardBHass said today in an earlier post, saying former disgruntled employees do the bashing, I have long since moved on from my days with Jimmy Dolan and his band of pencil pushers. And I love old movie palaces as much as all of you. If not I wouldn’t have been in the business for the past 33 years. My point is that everything the Dolans seem to get their hands on turns to you know what. And if their Rainbow division ever gets sold as was talked about in the past, that will probably be the end of clearview. I know what it is to work with these people, trust me.
I agree with Howard and Bill. The Ziegfeld is the only theater where I almost feel an obligation to buy their concession offerings. While I understand that the lease payments on the theater are pretty low, Clearview still has to make a profit and a large single screen theater is not easy to make a big profit on in the current market environment. That’s why I strongly believe that if Clearview did own the theater and land they would have sold out long ago. Thank Goodness for the Fishers!
Howard: I thought of that on Saturday night when I forked over $4.28 for a not-that-big bag of M&Ms before seeing “The Sound of Music”. It helped ease the pain.
Ah, slight clarification, for “must offer reasonable rent” I meant they no doubt do offer reasonable rent. They are not required to!
I don’t know NY preservation law, but I would think that yes, the support of owners could make a difference. Regardless, great that the owners like it as a movie theater and must offer reasonable rent. Everybody should remember that one thing that will help the Ziegfeld stay for movies is patronage! If you want to see the movie anywhere, see it there. And, though Clearview concession prices are no bargain, movie theater operators need customers to buy the refreshments, so they can profit. Spending $9 mininum on popcorn & soda is way too much, but I know that every bit helps the theater operator continue.
For Arthur C. Clarke fans re: Chelsea Hotel, Here’s something interesting at the Museum of the City Of New York. Sometimes we have to pull ourselves away from the movies and do other things (LOL)
THURSDAY | APRIL 3 | 6:30 PM
Legends of the Chelsea Hotel: Book Talk and Panel Discussion
The Chelsea Hotel is perhaps the most famous bohemian enclave in New York City. Famous artists who have resided there include Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, Ethan Hawke, Jack Kerouac, Madonna, Arthur Miller, Edie Sedgwick, and many others.
Ed Hamilton, author of Legends of the Chelsea Hotel: Living with the Artists and Outlaws of New York’s Rebel Mecca wil lead a discussion about the Chelsea’s history. $
Thanks, Luis. I hope it comes to pass in 2009. The Chase Manhattan Building is a very distinctive design, but it’s still just one of a multitude of office towers. The Ziegfeld is the only structure of its kind left in all of Manhattan. If there are any movie fans on the Landmark Committee, it should pass with no trouble!
Yes, Bill, 40 years is the minimum age requirement. That is why the Chase Manhattan building in the Financial District was just brought up for consideration and passed unanamously. It just turned 40 and could not previously be considered. I believe the Ziegfeld turn 40 next year. I wonder if the Fishers wold be spportive of a movement to landmark. It would be a wonderful way for them to give back to the city that made their fortune. Not that they don’t do so in many other ways; they are a very philanthropic family. That’s why I am hopeful that they’d do the right thing and support a landmarking of their illustrious theatre.
I do believe that the Ziegfeld’s interior could easily be landmarked; not just for it’s interior design, but also for its cultural contributions to the history of film in this city. There have been countless premieres here and, if the theater survives, many more to come. The design of the theater is one of the best for a “modern palace” and is worthy of preservation.
As has been said many times on this web site, they will not build them like this ever again. When we lose them, they’re gone forever. I think an excellent case can be made for landmarking the interior, though not the exterior. I would be interested to hear the opinions of other Ziegfeld enthusiasts.
Concerning the Fishers – I posted this here back in October 2006:
“While talking to a friendly Ziegfeld employee in the lobby, somebody came up to her and asked which was the entrance to "Theater #1”. When she told him it was one big theater, I said I hoped it would never be twinned or split up in any way. She said the owners of the building, Fisher Brothers, would never allow that to happen, ever."
Does a building have to reach the 40-year point in order to be considered for landmark status?
It’s amazing that the Dolans, being as bad as they are, haven’t destroyed Cablevision, or more specifically Optimum Online (and the other Optimum services). They consistently get high marks year after year from consumers when rated against the ogre Comcast, Cox, and Time-Warner/Roadrunner.
I hope the Ziegfeld survives, but I doubt it would be landmarked. I don’t know how its owners view the theater. I don’t know, but the impression that I get is that the Paris owner does indeed like having a movie theater there, for which I am very glad as I often see movies there.